Chapter 5 - The Woman in White.
Police reached the Howard mansion within six minutes.
The masked intruder was already gone.
Nothing obvious had been stolen.
Every visible camera had been torn from its mount.
The message was clear.
Someone wanted Elena to know that her protection could be found and destroyed.
By morning, Adrian appeared at the hospital with flowers.
White lilies filled the doorway before he did.
Elena hated lilies.
He knew that.
"How are you feeling?"
His voice sounded gentle enough for an audience.
Elena noticed the hospital security officer standing near the hallway.
Adrian noticed him too.
"You brought police into our marriage."
Elena touched the blanket over her stomach.
"Vanessa brought violence into it."
"She says you lunged at her."
"What do you say?"
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"I say we should settle this privately."
There it was.
Not concern.
Negotiation.
He placed an envelope beside the flowers.
"Sign a separation agreement."
"You keep the apartment in Boston, five million dollars, and complete privacy."
Elena almost laughed.
"And Vanessa?"
"That's none of your concern anymore."
"She's carrying your child?"
Adrian's silence answered before his mouth could.
Elena stared at him.
Vanessa had never appeared pregnant.
Then Elena understood.
"She's not pregnant."
Adrian's expression changed.
"What?"
"You told your mother she was, didn't you?"
His jaw tightened.
Elena continued carefully.
"You needed a reason to convince Eleanor that replacing me protected the Howard bloodline."
Adrian leaned toward her.
"You are making dangerous accusations."
"So were you when you told everyone I married you for money."
He lowered his voice.
"Take the deal."
"Before something worse happens."
Elena felt the threat settle between them.
Then someone knocked.
A nurse entered carrying a clear hospital bag containing Elena's clothing from the ambulance.
Her gray sweater was folded inside.
The black smartphone was not.
Elena looked at Adrian.
He looked at the bag.
For one fraction of a second, surprise crossed his face.
He had expected the phone to be there.
That meant someone had searched for it.
Elena smiled faintly.
"Looking for something?"
Adrian straightened.
"I have no idea what you mean."
He left without taking the flowers.
Ten minutes later, Reese entered carrying Elena's black smartphone in an evidence sleeve.
"You were right to give it directly to the paramedic."
Elena exhaled.
"Did you get the recording?"
Reese placed another item on the table.
A tiny memory card.
"We got something better."
"Thomas mailed this to you yesterday."
Elena stared at the card.
"What's on it?"
Reese's face became unreadable.
"A video of Vanessa rehearsing your fall."
After Adrian left, Elena asked hospital security to preserve every hallway recording from the previous night.
She no longer assumed threats would stay inside the mansion.
Reese agreed and quietly moved an officer outside her door.
The precautions felt extreme until a florist arrived with another arrangement Elena had never ordered.
Inside the flowers was no card.
There was only a single strip of white paper.
May you like
STOP RECORDING US.
Reese sealed it into evidence without letting Elena touch it.
